Council Sets Hearing, Vote On Project Spending

PLYMOUTH — The town council Tuesday approved a referendum on projects totaling $700,000 that officials say will not require an increase in taxes.

Taxpayers already have approved spending $125,000 for the projects. Their approval is needed again for the town to borrow $575,000 in short-term notes to finance the balance, Town Comptroller Emanuel Gomes said.

A public hearing on the projects has been scheduled for Sept. 18 at town hall, and the referendum is set for Oct. 18.

The projects include $50,000 for oil tank replacement at town hall; $240,000 for a new tanker firetruck; $200,000 for reconstruction of Preston Road; and $210,000 for the design and right-of-way for Allen Street.

Many members of the fire department have said they are concerned about the projects being combined for one referendum vote. The department is using a 20-year-old tanker, which broke down last year.

Mayor Michael Conway and Gomes said that bond counsel is studying whether the projects can be voted on separately at a referendum.

Some council members said the way the debt is structured is confusing to taxpayers, who may have thought the projects were approved during the last budget session.

``I think a lot of people left that night thinking those projects were approved,'' Councilman Wayne Radke said.

But Gomes pointed out that the method of borrowing the money was explained in the capital improvement section of the budget. Gomes said this was the most efficient and economical way to borrow the money for the projects.

The last short term note from town projects approved five years ago was recently paid off. If the same amount is appropriated in the budget to pay off this debt, the tax rate would not be affected, Gomes said.